Mission Control... We Have a Problem...

"Mission Log, star date..." Wakka paused mid thought and looked down at her faithful Vaggendotra 5000 helper robot. "Umm, what day IS it again, Dotra?" She tilted her head sideways and her face twisted up in the expression that meant she was thinking too hard about something. Her large orange eyes narrowed as she ticked days off on her hand. "I've been away from the space station too long."

     In a deep, robotic, almost masculine voice the robot promptly chirped back. "It is day number 15 in the month of gathering, Mission Commander Wakka. Records indicate that to the residents of Neopia it is the day of the annual Chocolate Ball."

      "They throw a party for chocolate?" she asked, the surprise in her voice was quite apparent.

     "No, commander. Chocolate can not engage in socially related activities. The party is for wealthy connoisseurs of chocolate."

     Wakka scowled. "I thought chocolate was just some candy that Neopians spent a couple of neopoints on in a shop. And I THOUGHT that I programmed you not to call me that anymore! It's just Wakka. You're the closest thing I have to a friend on these long missions, and I won't have all these unnecessary formalities."

     "As you wish, Mission Co...." The robot stopped, and made several hissing and beeping sounds before continuing. "Yes, Wakka. My program has been redefined and I saved your alterations this time."

     She smacked herself in the forehead, her eyes rolling back. "I forgot to save the data changes?"

     "That is affirmative, Wakka."

     She shook her head and stood up from where she'd been resting. "All right, that's enough of a break. We need to get moving, Dotra."

     "Yes, Wakka. I am capable for working or traveling for weeks at a time without the need to recharge. I am prepared for duty."

     Wakka started trudging forward and waved her hand dismissively at the obedient little robot. "Of course you are, you big pile of tin cans and sludge." The robot seemed to almost hunch down an inch or two but continued following her in silence.

     Wakka felt the need to continue with her daily mission log, but was reluctant to send in another report saying, "Sorry, Mission Control, I still haven't found anything." Too many more of those and Mission Control would scrap her entire mission, or even worse, send someone ELSE- probably that snarky Darigan Grundo from A team. A team always got the best assignments, and this was Wakka's chance to make a great discovery and get the respect she needed from Mission Control to get promoted. Maybe then she could finally get to see some REAL action!

     They'd landed on the small island about a week ago. Sensors at the space station had detected a small, previously undiscovered island just west of Shenkuu. Her mission was to scout out the terrain, find out what, if anything, was there, and figure out why with all of the technology available to the station they had not detected the island before. So far, all she had managed to discover were the same trees, rocks, and small petpets that could be found virtually anywhere in Neopia. What made this place so special?

     She kicked a rock as she moved forward, sighing heavily to herself. "Come out, come out, whatever you are..."

     Naturally, she had not expected a response from the still, quiet, darkness, but an answer came none the less. "What are you doing on this island???" a deep and commanding female voice called out. "How did you find this place? ANSWER ME!"

     Wakka stopped in her tracks and looked down to Dotra, who just shrugged. A chill ran down her spine. "I'm... exploring?" Her answer sounded like more of a question than a response.

     "How did you find this place? This place is secret! Get out!" The voice sounded like it was getting angry and Wakka couldn't even tell from what direction it was coming from. In the darkness, it felt as if the voice was all around her and closing in.

     Suddenly, seeing "real action" seemed like a very bad career choice. "It was the space station. We detected it doing a routine scan of Neopia's surface. I mean no harm. We were just curious, I promise!" she pleaded with the faceless voice.

     "Hmmm..." the voice pondered. "Well, be gone with you. You are not welcome here yet."

     Wakka raised an eyebrow in question. "Yet? What exactly is that supposed to mean?"

     The voice sighed but seemed to relax a bit. "You will see soon enough, young Grundo. You all will. It will be beyond your wildest dreams, of this you have my word."

     Wakka scowled and pulled out her trusty Space Stun Gun. "Alright, I don't know who you are, but I've had just about enough of your riddles. This isn't a faerie quest, and you aren't the wise sage of Shenkuu, so out with it, who are you? Show yourself, you coward!"

     The voice chuckled in the darkness, a light-hearted and warm sound. "What a curious little Grundo you are. I'm right here." Wakka felt a gentle tap at her shoulder. She spun around, stun gun lowered and ready to defend herself from this unexpected presence.

     The woman standing there before her looked young by human standards. She had long, straight, dark hair, and thin wire framed glasses which she prodded at with her index finger. She bore a warm and friendly smile that put Wakka at ease, and she lowered her stun gun.

     "Who.... are you?"

     The woman chuckled again and patted Wakka's shoulder. "I am me, precious little Grundo. I am a friend. That is all you need to know."

     Wakka scowled. "Actually, no, it's not. I'm on a mission and I intend to deliver results. This is very important to my career. We're in the middle of nowhere, in the middle of night, and you appeared out of thin air. Who are you, what are you doing here, and how did you do... that?" She waved her hands around motioning to the sky and then towards the spot where the woman now stood.

     Wakka's frustration only seemed to make the woman's smile broaden. "Such a brave little Grundo, and they haven't put you onto a Team yet, Wakka?" The woman shook her head but the smile never disappeared.

     "HOW DO YOU KNOW MY NAME??? WHO ARE YOU???" Wakka was torn between fear and annoyance. Who did she think she was anyway?

     "Careful, little Grundo, do not ask questions that you do not want the answers to."

     Wakka narrowed her eyes on the woman, and lifted her stun gun again, pointing it at the woman's chest. "I will ask you one more time, and if you don't answer me I am going to fire this at you, and DRAG you back to the space station where SOMEONE will be able to get some straight answers from you!" She felt the heat of her annoyance rush to her face and she stood up as straight as possible to try and look more intimidating.

     "Oh? Is that what you will do?" She chuckled again. "With what, precisely, do you intend to fire upon me with?"

     Wakka looked down to discover her stun gun was no longer in her hand. "What!?!? How did? But why?? I don't understand... WHAT????" Just as Wakka began to become very anxious, and considered getting Dotra to get her out of there, the woman gently patted her head, and motioned for Wakka to sit next to her on a sturdy looking log that Wakka was certain had not been there before. "Sit."

     "Do you REALLY want to know, little Grundo?" Without pausing for Wakka to answer or even nod the woman laughed again and shook her head. "Of course you do... of course you do. We made you Grundos to be so very curious. It HAS caused us some difficulties at times, but I believe it has been worth the minor problems now and then." Wakka sat, confused, dumbfounded, and unable to find anything to say.

     "Little Grundo, I am a creator. My name is of little consequence. All that you see or will ever see is our creation, our doing. We gave life to Neopia and all who dwell upon her. This place, was supposed to be kept a secret for at least a few more months, but it appears that you are developing technology faster than the other creators and I had anticipated. Clever Grundos."

     She prodded at her glasses again and looked up to the brilliantly lit stars. "Even out there, little Grundo, it is all our doing. This world, it is our gift to you all. We love you so much we wanted to give you somewhere safe, and fun, and happy to live. We are always watching over Neopia. Always."

     Wakka blinked twice and tried to wrap her mind around what she was being told. "You are a creator? A creator of... all of... this?"

     The woman nodded in affirmation and held out her hand. "You have been working too hard. Here, take this." In the woman's hand appeared a Minion Maid soda, Wakka's favorite.

     "But that... But you... Magic???" Wakka managed to stutter out.

     The woman beamed. "But, of course. Do you think that the lovely faeries that we left in charge of Neopia are the only creatures in this world who possess magic little one? Take it, it's nice and cold, and it will help you to feel better. Trust me."

     Wakka took the Minion Maid and popped open the tab on it. It hissed pleasantly. She took a small sip, still unsure, and found it to be crisp and extra bubbly. Her favorite indeed. "Ummm... Thank you?" she offered.

     "Please, do not mention it. It's a small token considering what I am about to do to you."

     Wakka nearly spit out the mouth full of soda she had and scrambled off of the log, back a few paces. "WHAT???" She uselessly dropped the soda and started looking for the stun gun that was not to be found.

     The woman sighed heavily. "I'm sorry, little one, but I simply cannot allow...."

     Wakka cut her off. "Allow me to live??? Are you kidding??? What have I ever done???"

     The woman chuckled again. "No, silly, to remember me. I have to erase your memories of me and of this mission. It will not hurt, you have my word. And you will discover this place again soon enough. I will make sure that it is you who is the one who discovers it." She offered Wakka another one of her stunning smiles and stood, raising her palms slowly so as not to frighten the poor Grundo any farther.

     "But... but.. why? Why can't I just do my job and report all of this back to my commander?"

     The woman tapped her chin thoughtfully, and finally shrugged. "Because it's not ready for you yet. There are no games to be played here. There are no new creatures to meet. The terrain isn't even done yet. I still can't figure out how you even found this island in the first place. Just be patient. You will discover it once again, and it will be marvelous." She leaned down and parted Wakka's golden bangs to kiss her lightly on the forehead. "Have no fear, little one, the creators are always watching over Neopia. We are always watching over all Neopians. And we will always give you beautiful, exciting, and wondrous new things to discover. Just be patient."

     Wakka stood stunned, and unable to move as wind began whipping violently around her. The trees, and the rocks, and the grass all seemed to dissolve and swirl around her. She felt as though she was waking up from a long, deep, sleep. And she was.

     The buzzing of the alarm clock drug her from her crazy dream. "Ughhhhh...." she groaned as she reached over to turn the alarm off. She drug herself out of bed and slipped into her uniform, the bright yellow "A Team" symbol proudly stood out against the blue of her shirt. She kicked on her blue tennis shoes and turned Dotra on.

     "Good morning, Wakka, I trust you had pleasant dreams?"

     She shook her head.... "Weird ones at least. Don't get me started..."

     "As you wish, Wakka." She shook her head, and headed out the door to go to work.

     She didn't notice the brightly colored Minion Maid can sitting empty on the table in her kitchen. She hadn't purchased any Minion Maid in over five years, since before she started working for Mission Control.

The End